Super Ring is the NEW treasure I added to the shop! just in time for Valentine's day.as you know, i'm a little obsessed about time soi fancied working with another powerful and timeless symbol:
The Ring. ring is a traditional symbol of infinity or eternity,the transposition of the magical circle into the real world of tangible. in a magical sense ring bins you with power, with energy!

so here is my magic ring:
Super Ring is an ancient treasure stolen from the bottom of the sea.A Gem of the Seaside given to me by two little mermaids.it is an old rare ring that gives the power of never ending love,one of the most wanted precious gifts.

Super Ring is the a gift for all who wants to be forever loved.it's an original and fun way to share your love with your loved ones as a Friendship Ring, Preengagement Ring... or just as a Valentine's ring :)Super Ring is a ring too small to wear,it would only fit a very thin little finger,but it could be used as cute pendant,hanging on a trim or a chain.
.it was carefully dreamed, designed, hand molded with cold porcelain,assembled, packaged... this time i didn't use any barnish,becausei really like the weatherbeaten look of this material. it seems as it had been recovered from a shipwreck.i tried to think in all the details to make a very unique piece, andi hopefully a well loved thing.

the design of the seashell that comes with this Super Ring it's been quite especial,i wanted to do something with mermaids to make it magical,
looking for more elements to use on the decoration
Gabriel gave me the idea of seashells and soon seashells played the leading role.

i do love this kitsch thing! the outside of the seashell is home printed onto a vintage paperthati found at one of my most loved local stores in Barcelona. this was an old bookbinding and paper store, not fancy but really enchanting, where you could find beautiful leftovers from the fifties.it was situated in a very charming place close to las Ramblas.unfortunately it closed two years ago, so i'm happy to bring to live one of the beautiful papers i got from there.

the design of the red band with the logo was swiped from one Gina's vintage packaging,herflickr is so inspiring.
Gabriel saw a "Super Toy" label and suggested using it.

it happens to me sometimes that i spend more time working on a packaging or in the concept of a piece, more than on the item itself...the Sea Shell shape is hand cut, hand punched, assembled and glued.
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... and, have you seen this amazing plastic case?just gorgeous, with this raised character...it's perfect to keep my rings before they travel to their new owners..// by the way, thank you so much for all your lovely comments on the last post,it was so nice sharing it with you :)happy almost weekend!!!!

this park near home is always surprising me,
i found strawberry trees a bit ago
and now i've discovered that grows borage!
it was an old woman who gave me a clue.
the aged are always picking up almost everything at the park:
spring baby garlics, asparragus, figs, almonds, prickly pears, fennel...
so there was this woman with a crutch trying to go back to the main path,
she had been putting herself at risk going down the hill to collect a kind of rough big leaves,
it was really weird and i wanted to know what kind of plant it was!
so i look for the plant and i one leaf took home to investigate :)
and yes! it was borage, beautiful borage.
it's one of those humble plants that grows everywhere,
all my life right before my eyes... and i didn't know about it!

i've been looking for recipes for cooking it or adding to salads,
it tastes and smells like cucumber.
i didn't know that borage is used in companion planting,
is a Bee attractant: "The more bees in your garden, the better they pollinate its other plants."
it's also known as a medicinal plant, as a medecine for the soul :)
i've found a very interesting link about it here.
... a greek naturalist said that the plant ‘maketh a man merry and joyful.’
another greek physician mentioned the use of Borage to ‘comfort the heart, purge melancholy and quiet the lunatic person.’
...." Borage, as a flower essence, is for heavy heartedness and lack of confidence when facing challenges. The remedy is said to bring courage to the taker, providing a condition of “buoyancy of the soul”. (Katz and Kaminski 1994) Borage is said to bring “lightness and ebullience to the soul, filling it with optimism and enthusiasm.”...
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Borage was called the "herb of gladness" by the Welsh. Romans made use of the borage flowers to produce an elixir, which they used to lighten the spirits and raise confidence, to give courage soldiers before they went into battle. Medieval knights wore scraves embroidered with the flowers for the same reason.
This use of the plant to beat back depression was also common during the Elizabethan age in England, when melancholy was typically treated using a herbal concoction made from the borage.

Some of my paper wall calendars are already on their way,happily flying away!
i got them last friday and i've been playing designing new stickers, cards and envelopes.
i do really love this part of the process!
this year calendar come inside a lovely stamped envelope
a moustached pineapple wishing you a happy 2013 :)